Minister of Agriculture focuses on the safety and protection of local honey production

Within the framework of the current food safety frenzy, the Minister of Agriculture, Akram Chehayeb, met yesterday with the honey committee to discuss the protection of Lebanese honey as well as assess the current situation of local honey production and export.  The meeting was attended by the Head of the Horticulture and Field crops directorate, engineer Mona Siblini, the president of the beekeeping section, Ramzi Moghrabu, the representative of the Kfarshima laboratory, Adli Jammoul, expert in chemical testing of honey, William Safi, as well as Nadine Haj Chemali and Joseph Nakhle representing LIVCD and Hussein Kodmani representing beekeepers.
Participants discussed problems facing honey quality and production notably poor storage and transportation conditions, import of poor quality honey, and inappropriate changes in the temperature of honey.  All participants insisted on the importance of increasing control on local honey production.  Minister Chehayeb concluded by requesting the honey committee to set clear criteria for allowing honey import thus providing protection to local beekeepers in addition to looking at the possibility of providing government assistance to beekeepers in undertaking testing, and the laboratory in Kfarshima to submit a study on what it needs to increase the efficiency of its work.
Source: Al-Diyar 5 December 2014